Golden Infinity
by otakurage13
Summary: After being forgotten by the guild for two months, Lucy is sent a mysterious package... from who she thinks is her mother. Embarking on a journey to find the truth, Lucy discovers things she could have never imagined. With newfound powers, how will Lucy fight the darkness that shadows over her? Will she even be able to survive long enough to see the faces of her nakama once again?
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: After being forgotten by the guild for two months, Lucy is sent a mysterious package... from who she thinks is her mother. Embarking on a journey to find the truth, Lucy discovers things she could have never imagined. With newfound powers, how will Lucy Lucy fight the darkness that shadows over her. Will she be able to survive long enough to see the faces of her nakama once again? **

**Ratings may go up.**

**Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

**.**

The Grand Magic Games had finally finished, and the whole fiasco with the dragons had also been solved.

Magnolia was as busy as ever and Faiy Tail was also at the peak of its strength.

But, even though everything seemed okay on the outside, it wasn't so good for a certain golden haired beauty of Fairy Tail.

For others, the GMG and dragon attack left them born anew, stronger both mentally and physically, but for Lucy, it merely confirmed her greatest fears.

.

She was weak.

.

Unable to defeat Flare, or Minerva, and having to be protected by her nakama when the dragons came.

It made her feel fragile and useless.

It definitely didn't help her inner turmoil when Lissanna came back and everybody rejoiced.

It wasn't the party that made her so broken, she thought Lissanna truly deserved the love.

If she had thought Natsu died and he somehow made it back to her, she would do the same.

No.

It definitely wasn't Lissanna.

It was her precious nakama and guild that had caused her heart to shatter.

Scratch that, she thought.

.

It was the realization.

.

The sudden understanding she got when her teammates brushed her aside and fought over the white-haired girl.

It was when the guild members never let her bond with the young Strauss and acted as if she wasn't there.

.

It was when she realized she was just a replacement.

.

The thought sent sharp jabs of pain through her already damaged heart.

They had used her, played with her genuine love, and then tossed her aside when they'd gotten the original back.

There was no use for her anymore.

Lucy walked out of the warm and noisy guild, and as it had been for the past two months, nobody noticed or said goodbye.

The sun shone brightly onto the bustling streets but all Lucy could feel was the coldness in her chest.

She stumbled through the crowds, her mind hazy and her eyes blurry from the overflow of emotions.

She had just barely made it to the apartment and collapsed in front of her door, her hands trembling as she attempted to fit the key in the lock, in which she failed.

Lucy couldn't bear it anymore and instead let the hot tears flow from her eyes, her body vibrating from the muffled sound of her sobs.

After about half an hour later of strangled cries and a few moments of recollection, she slowly stood up and opened the door.

Her lips were chapped and her eyes red-rimmed from the many tears that had come from them, while her her hair looked as if she'd been through a storm with all the tugging she had done to it.

Lucy couldn't help but look at the mirror and smile sadly, almost amused at how she had become.

After taking a bath to calm herself down and getting dressed in her usual pajamas, Lucy sat down at her desk and looked around her room.

A month ago, Team Natsu would've been already lounging around here, Gray stripping, Erza eating her cake, and Natsu and Happy lying on her bed or snooping through her underwear drawer again.

Her eyes went downcast at the thought of them and she sighed before turning her chair back towards the desk.

Then, she began to write one of her daily letters to her mother.

In it, she wrote of her pain, and how she missed her, and how she had come to accept that she was merely a replacement to the guild, a replacement for their beloved Lissanna.

By the time she was finished, it was already dark outside and she got up and started heading to bed.

She had just laid down when she heard a knock at her door.

Who on Earthland would be at her door at this time?

Could it possibly be…

Her comrades…?

Excitement surged through Lucy and she threw the covers off of her and rushed to answer the door.

She stopped for a few seconds, trying to make herself presentable, before all but throwing the door open.

She faced disappointment when the toothy grin of the boy she loved was nowhere to be seen.

Trying to tell herself that she hadn't been getting her hopes up, she was about to close the door when she spotted a package in front of her door.

A package at this time of night?

"Nani? " Lucy stared at the package in confusion before picking it up.

Couldn't they have just waited until tomorrow morning?

Sighing, she decided to bring the box inside, and placing it on her desk, she climbed back into bed, too lazy to open it.

After about 10 minutes of tossing and turning she ripped her blankets off and stomped to the mysterious box.

Curiousity won over exhaustion, and she sat down to see who the sender was.

To her surprise, there was no labels on the box, not even a postage stamp.

It was just a plain, brown cardboard box.

It wasn't very heavy, either, probably weighing about 5-10 lbs.

Her interest piqued, Lucy carefully cut the box open, and pulled back the flaps to finally reveal what was inside.

Her eyes widened to their maximum size and she almost dropped the scissors onto her foot.

.

A book.

.

A picture book, actually.

The front drawing was beautiful, but the title words were uneven and a bit sloppy, almost as if a child had written it.

And a child _had_ written it.

Looking at the book brought a wave of nostalgia over Lucy and she delicately traced her fingers over the books edges and front cover, defining all of the ridges and bumps.

Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes and she let out a wet chuckle.

The front title showed an image of a glittering sky and a vast green land with a sapphire ocean nd red sand.

The title said, "The Elements of Infinity!" complete with a bunch of pink hearts in various shades and sizes.

Lucy definitely remembered what this was.

This was the book she had made with her mother when she was young.

She remembered sitting on her mother's lap and drawing together with her while Capricorn stood watching from the side, smiling at the heartwarming sight.

Remembering her mother in her time of sorrow made her burst into another round of tears.

Oh Mavis, she was acting like such a child, crying at every little thing.

She laughed, wiping away her tears until realization hit her and her brows furrowed.

What the hell?

How did this, which was in her mother's possession, get here, of all places?

Lucy's eyes widened and she immediately sobered up.

Her mother had kept this because Lucy had given it to her, and even then, how did this person know her address?

If this wasn't shipped here…

That must mean somebody had tracked her and personally left it at her doorstep.

.

.

.

Somebody that knew her mother.

.

.

.

With trembling hands, Lucy lifted the book up again.

She scoured her brain for what the story had been about.

"I think I remember… what was it again…?"

She grit her teeth in irritation and flipped to the first page.

A picture of a little girl and a large meadow appeared and she immediately knew it.

"Ah! I remember now!" she smiled, feeling accomplished.

"It was…etoh… it was about a little girl going into a forest and getting lost…" she squinted her eyes in concentration as she tried to continue.

"And then she finds a treasure box… and becomes a celestial master…"

Lucy's eyes furrowed deeply and she continued, the plot coming to her easily.

"And then… a devil appears and tries to take her powers, but she beats him, and he escapes…"

This story was weird, she decided. And, plus, a celestial master? What the heck was that supposed to be?

"Oh! Then, these people come to her and she becomes stronger and she defeats the devil!"

Lucy smiled, satisfied with herself for having finished the story.

Flipping through the photos, she saw the detail her mother had put into the book.

Wait.

She flipped back to the first page and her eyes narrowed in shock.

The little girl was dressed in a pink dress and her hair was a golden shade of blonde- the same exact shade of Lucy's.

Suddenly, it all came together and Lucy stumbled backward from the mentality of it all.

Trying to even out her heavy breathing and cool down her sweaty palms, Lucy sat on her bed, the thoughts racing in her head.

It was a message.

.

.

.

Her mother was alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Lucy's head was ready to burst from all the calculations she was making.

Her mother was alive.

.

Could this truly be possible?

.

Well, after all, Layla Heartfilia was always known for her superior intelligence and the way she observed her surroundings.

Lucy knew what she had to do.

Taking the book and gently tucking it under her pillow, Lucy went to bed.

.

Tomorrow was sure to be interesting.

* * *

Lucy took a deep breath and slowly pushed the guild doors open before taking a tentative step forward.

As usual, nobody paid any mind to her and carried on as they were.

Team Natsu wasn't there, and Lucy presumed that they were off on a mission with Lissanna.

The thought of that stung, but Lucy pushed it down.

It wasn't the time for that, she had much more important things to attend to, like her thought to be dead mother.

She made her way up the stairs, dodging the bit of wood and broken bottles from the brawl that'd just started.

After many almost death incidents and a slightly frayed skirt, she finally made it to the guild office.

She would've gotten one last vanilla milkshake, but, Mira was nowhere to be found.

The reality of it all suddenly hit her.

She was leaving Fairy Tail, and she din't even know for how long would she be gone.

It could be weeks, months, maybe even years!

But, even so, Lucy collected herself and placed her hand on the doorknob.

Her mother had sent her that storybook for a reason.

She could be in a life and death situation, for all she knew!

Mustering all her courage, Lucy flung the office door open as politely as she could.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she went in for the kill.

"MASTER! I NEED YOU TO REMOVE MY GUILD MARK BECAUSE I WILL BE TEMPORARILY LEAVING FAIRY TAIL!"

She put her fists at her side, her breath coming out in short, harsh puffs and her eyes in swirls.

"Lucy…? Why…?" she heard the Master softly speak out.

She opened her eyes to explain when she saw there was one other person in the room.

"M-Mira-chan…" Her eyes had turned to orbs as she stared at a dumbstruck Mirajane Strauss.

"L-Lucy-chan…" she finally managed to regain her voice.

Her eyes were hurt, and she seemed to also want to know why.

"Well-" before Lucy could start, a teary Mira cut her off.

"It's because the guild's been ignoring you, isn't it?!" her eyes had turned large and teary and she was sniffling.

"A-Ano…Mira-chan, it actually isn't-"

Master was the one who cut her off this time.

"We're so sorry Lucy! Mirajane just came to consult me about it and I should've realized sooner! We're sorry, so please don't quit Fairy Tail!" The old man had turned teary-eyed also, and she could see snot dripping from his mustache.

"W-Well, actually, Master-"

"Lucy-chan! We'll have everyone apologize! I'm sure they didn't really mean to!"

"Mirajane, it's not that-" Lucy started again, before she was also interrupted _again._

"Those brats! I take all the blame Lucy! We're nakama! You didn't deserve to be treated this way!"

"Master is right! If you want, I'll release Satan Soul on them!"

Makarov nodded in agreement. "I'll let you hit everybody at least once, as hard as you wish!"

Mirajane agreed this time before starting again. "Master is right! You can release-"

"NO!" Lucy practically screeched at the top of her lungs.

The two became silent.

"I'm leaving the guild _temporarily._ I have… family matters to attend to."

She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I don't know how long I'll be gone, be it months or years, but… I will return."

Her eyes were hard and determined.

"and when I do, I will definitely be stronger."

Mira sobbed even harder and Makarov wiped at the tears that were streaming down his face.

She sighed before giving them a sad smile. "And… about the ignoring me… its fine, because, I've come to accept the fact that I was just a replacement."

Master sputtered and Mirajane covered her mouth with her hands as she gasped in shock.

"L-Lucy…You know that's not right…! Natsu and the others would never use you like that! They really do-"

Lucy cut him off. "Master." She said, holding out her right hand, her mouth pursed. "Please."

Makarov stared at her, crying, before he waved his hand over the mark and the insignia slowly faded away in a puff of sparkles.

Mira was sobbing now, ashamed to have made Lucy think that way.

.

A replacement? Lucy?

.

Impossible.

.

Lucy was too kind and faithful to be used as a replacement.

But… it was their fault because they had treated her as such and made her believe so.

Lucy moved to hug Makarov and he gratefully accepted, snot dripping down his nose.

Mira was also given a hug, which just increased the snownette's sobs by a tenfold.

"I-I-I'll see you out then." Mira's eyes were sad and her chest felt tight at the thought of the blonde leaving.

"Master, please don't tell anybody else about this."

Makarov looked to Lucy.

"B-But, they're your nakama, they deserve to-" he stopped himself.

They didn't deserve to know.

They had ignored and isolated her, even him!

They had no rights to even be called her nakama anymore.

Lucy gave him a soft smile and he nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Mirajane gently linked forearms with Lucy and they walked out of the office, Mirajane still slightly teary.

They slowly descended the steps and the guild was more filled than it was when Lucy had first entered.

Everybody stopped to stare as a teary and sniffling Mirajane lead Lucy to the guild doors.

Master stood on the second floor railing, tearing up again.

Lucy was so overwhelmed with emotions that she didn't even notice the stares or Team Natsu, who'd just gotten back a few minutes ago.

"Lucy!" the master yelled out, his voice powerful, but his face quivering from the tears running down it.

Everybody was paying attention now and very confused.

Most people were wondering about since when was Lucy there, because they hadn't seen her in the past two months or so.

Team Natsu, or, Erza, specifically, realized her mistake first.

Her eyes widened and she was about to call out to Lucy before she furrowed her brows in shame and lowered her head.

She didn't deserve to just call out to Lucy and expect to be accepted again when she had ignored her for so long.

What got her to raise her head up though was when the Master raised his hand up, the idex finger standing straight and his palm facing inwards.

It wasn't that, but rather the response from the person whom she'd ignored.

She looked to Lucy who only turned her head back towards the Master, and looked to be holding back her tears and her eyes widened when she saw Lucy raise her right hand up in the same symbol, the back of her hand facing the open doors.

There was no tattoo.

Erza froze in shock, and the rest of Team Natsu followed her.

The other guild members couldn't see from their view but Team Natsu saw it all.

Mirajane whispered words of goodbye in Lucy's ear before Lucy turned around and walked out the open doors, having them shut behind her.

Mirajane burst into tears before quickly walking away and Master walked away slowly, shaking his head in sorrow and disappointment.

The guild was left dumbstruck and little by little, they realized what they had done.

Erza felt as if the world had turned on her.

.

Did Lucy just quit the guild because of their stupid mistake?


	3. Chapter 3

Nobody moved a single inch for an hour, realization of what they had done suddenly dawning on them.

.

It was Natsu who broke the silence, when he sprinted upstairs and slammed the door to Makarov's office open, the rest of the team following, minus Lissanna, who'd gone to find Mira.

"GRAMPS!" He was tumbling over his words, to many questions exploding from his mouth all at once.

Gray slapped his hand over his mouth, irritated, and turned to Makarov.

"Lucy's hand…why was there no guild mark?!"

Makarov slowly looked at them, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"She quit the guild…-"

Wendy's gasp and the rest of the teams cries of horror cut him off.

"W-What…I don't…" Erza stuttered out, trying to form her pain in words.

"GRAMPS! HOW COULD YOU JUST LET HER LEAVE LIKE THAT?!" Natsu's screamed out after Erza, the loudness of his voice resounding throughout the room.

Gray stood next to the salmon headed fire mage, his head shaking slowly as he silently swore out.

Wendy had started the waterworks and Carla looked crestfallen, her eyes downcast, and her lips pursed.

Happy stood in front of Natsu, bawling loudly with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Erza clenched her jaw, ready to demand an explanation when Makarov spoke out.

"Listen up, you brats!" His eyebrows were furrowed and his jaw was locked, showing his frustration at having let go of one of his children.

"Lucy said she was leaving temporarily, saying she had family matters to attend to, she promised she'd come back."

Hope sparked in the group's eyes, some of the earlier tension and worry gone.

"How long will she be gone?!"

"Are you sure she's coming back?"

"That girl… leaving like that and making Wendy cry…"

"LUSHEEE!"

"LET ME GO AFTER HER GRAMPS!"

"Will she be okay?!"

Makarov slammed his fist down on his desk, his eyes squinted with fresh tears.

"You brats…no, this entire guild has no right to worry about her… we don't even deserve for her to come back to us…!"

The room went silent and Master turned his head to Carla, who'd made the comment about making Wendy cry.

"You can't say those things about her… especially when we selfishly abandoned her for these past two months…!"

Carla's eyes widened, before she turned her head away, ashamed.

The master wiped at his eyes before continuing.

"She said she didn't know how long she'd be gone, whether it be months or years…"

Erza clenched her fists.

Lucy had depended on her, and she had let her down... No, she had failed her.

Tears pricked at her eyes and her teeth clenched at the guilt that stabbed at her.

"Do you know what she said…?" Makarov's words were heavy from the tears that came with it.

"She said… she said she'd come to accept that she was just a replacement for Lissanna…" he inhaled deeply, trying to stop the oncoming tears.

The six looked at him, shocked.

Natsu for once, had nothing to say except for a weak, "She… she was never…"

Makarov turned to him, head shaking ever so slowly.

"I know… but we have nobody to blame but us… we were the ones who treated her as such."

Erza couldn't take anymore, and barged right out of the office, her long red hair flowing out around her.

She would go to Lucy's right now and beg for her forgiveness if she had to.

The rest seemed to think the same, because they were right on her tail.

They made their way out of the office, only to see Team Shadowgear, Gajeel, Cana, and Romeo enter after them.

Making their way down the stairs and out the door, they could see people crying from the guilt, and more people heading to the master's office.

They managed to make their way to Lucy's apartment in a matter of minutes and quickly knocked on the door.

They didn't want to anger Lucy by coming in without permission, after all, they already had enough to apologize for.

They waited for a couple minutes, the tension high, but nobody answered the door.

Pushing her lips into a grim line, Erza knocked even harder, the door rattling under the pressure.

No response.

Erza finally grabbed the key she received from Mira and unlocked the door, having it swing open.

Walking in, the team tried to search for the celestial mage, but they didn't find her.

Wendy burst into another fit of waterworks, Gray swore as hard as he could, and Natsu hung his head, his fist tightened so tight his knuckles turned white.

Erza merely looked away so the rest couldn't see the tears that blocked her sight.

.

Lucy was gone.

.

And they'd have to deal with this burning guilt until the day she returned.

**Well, that's it for now! New chapters will be updated every week or two. Please fave and follow! Reviews are also very welcomed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima**

* * *

She was prepared for it, but she still couldn't help but be slightly freaked out.

She'd already packed her bags before she left for the guild, so she had grabbed them, looked around her apartment, and left.

Then, she'd headed for the town of Lupinus.

It'd been a long ride that'd taken about 2 days on the train, giving Lucy the time to plan out her next steps.

She'd gotten off the train and gotten a room at the inn when she reached her destination, and had fallen asleep that night, worry creasing her brows.

Then, on the present day, she'd gathered her things and started her journey up the large mountain.

She'd researched many different towns with uninhabited forests and she'd been drawn to this one- the Imperial Flora Covert, a massive woods that could've been in one of the largest top 3 in Fiore, if not for the danger it held.

Town talk informed her that, whoever went in, never came out.

They were eternally lost until the day they died.

The words had sent chills up her spine, but Lucy braved onwards and had gotten to the forest a little past sunset.

It was funny, really, considering the fact she'd started an hour or two before sunrise.

Completely drained and exhausted, Lucy clambered up the last few steps of the mountain and her jaw dropped at the sight.

The forest was absolutely breathtaking.

The trees were a lush green and flowery vines wrapped themselves around every trunk, the light aroma floating throughout the air.

Lucy looked on in awe.

If only Team Natsu could be here…

The thought immediately snapped her out of her stupor and she clenched her teeth.

Fairy Tail would have to wait.

She was taking a gamble on her life at the moment, and she needed to use her head.

She gripped the brown sack she held in her hands to her chest and took deep breaths.

The bag held the other items she'd found in the box, besides the amazing amount of jewels she'd used to keep her apartment for the next 2-3 years.

It held a crystal key, the edges decorated with a pure gold design and the key part covered in a sparkling silver.

Next there was a necklace, it had a gold chain and a heart shaped pendant that was also gold, but covered in silver magical circles.

The inside held a stone, tiny and smooth, shining as white as the moon.

Her eyes snapped open and for a few moments, she glared at the forest, as if challenging it.

Staring at the gleaming moon, she nodded her head to herself before entering.

An hour or so passed after that, and Lucy somehow found herself lost.

In the large and slightly suspicious forest.

Wait.

Lucy turned and looked to her side, squinting.

Hadn't she passed that tree like half an hour ago?!

Her eye twitched and her heart rate accelerated just the slightest bit but she shook her head and marched forward, determined.

Half an hour later, she found herself at the same tree.

Narrowing her eyes, she brought out her ink quill pen and marked the tree with a star.

Maybe the trees just looked similar.

An hour later, she found herself at the same tree with the star she'd drawn.

Lucy stared at it as if it was unreal before slumping down in defeat, her large handbag landing with a thud.

She sunk her head into her hands, trying to ignore the trembles her arms had.

Was she going to be eternally lost?

Was she really going to die here?

Alone?

Lucy smoothed her hair back with quivering hands, closing her eyes and counting to ten in an attempt to keep her cool.

Her brain felt hazy and, suddenly, the breeze felt so good against her skin.

The blonde's skin was tingling with sensation and she felt her eyelids start to droop as she breathed in the floral scents of the forest.

What was this smell?

She definitely needed to get a perfume in this scent once she got back home.

The celestial mage slowly lowered her arms and slumped her head down onto the cool forest floor, savoring the feeling of the cold against her sweaty skin.

Maybe she should just forget and take a quick nap, after all, it wasn't like she needed to rush, right?

She could always continue later…

Just before the darkness overtook her, she opened her eyes one last time in protest, and they widened at what they so, her body tensing up as panic overrode her system.

A few yards away stood a giant beast of 7 feet, covered in rocky looking scales, his hands extending out to be long claws with little thorns covering them.

His scales were a deep rosy red and his claws were forest green.

He stood on two legs that were hidden under black fur, the shape looking like those of a goat- a giant muscled goat.

His face was also red, and his snout looked like a alligators, puffing out a yellow colored smoke that trailed up and circled around his light gray and outward curved horns.

Lucy stared at the thing, terror paralyzing her body.

Wait, no.

It wasn't from terror; it was from the yellow substance protruding from his snout.

A sweet yet sharp smell that rendered her body useless.

Lucy desperately tried to move her limbs, but it was to no avail.

She managed to raise her head an inch, though, and gaze up into the creatures bright yellow eyes.

His eyes looked human.

No, more intelligent than a human.

Those two orbs seemed to read her soul, itself, scanning her from head to toe.

Lucy let her narrowed eyebrows relax, and she stopped struggling, looking into the eyes with more curiosity than fear this time.

This being was not some sort of monster, she realized, once her mind was calm.

Looking at him again, she realized he was actually mystical with the way his aura radiated power.

She was not afraid.

The flowery scent started to wear off, and soon enough, she was able to move her body.

Lucy slowly got up and was about to approach the mysterious creature when he threw her a sword.

Her eyes widened, her hand catching the handle.

It was absolutely beautiful, its handle made of what looked to be ivory.

The sheath was made of gold, its outer shell decorated with silver roses connected by a silver stem that worked its way around the sheath from top to bottom.

The handle had a blue ribbon at the top, which morphed with a chain and had a beautiful star and moon decoration linked at the bottom of it.

Slowly unsheathing the sword, Lucy gasped at the sight of it.

It looked like diamond, being a slightly transparent white silver shade that glimmered in the moonlight.

The sword was roughly about 2 and ½ feet long, including the handle.

Grasping it in her hands, Lucy marveled at the feel of it.

It just felt so right.

She held it up to the sky, watching as the moon glinted off of the blade and created the colors of the rainbow.

A snort interrupted her trance, and she looked to see that the creature had come a bit closer, now standing about 5 feet away.

Suddenly, he attacked.

Lucy cried out in shock as he charged towards her, shoving his head and sharp horns into the place where'd she been standing a few seconds prior.

Her legs trembled and her face twisted in horror as he swiped down at her with his large and powerful hand, having almost taken off her head if she hadn't blocked with the sword he'd given her.

He seemed to almost snort in approval before swinging down his other hand onto the blade.

A cry escaped Lucy's lips as the pure strength of the being weighed down on her, the only thing separating his claws from her face being a sword and her own strength.

She swung the sword upwards, flinging his hands away before jumping back in an attempt to create more distance.

Why was he doing this?

The creature had seemed so peaceful, so wise before storming up to her and trying to rip her head off.

She barely had a chance to think though, because the monster ran towards her again.

He began swinging his monster claws at her, and with some luck and new bruises, the blonde managed to barely evade every swipe.

Rearing his head back, Lucy thought he would charge at her once again so she jumped to the right, only to have her path be cut off by a large hand.

His claws grazed the middle of her calves, creating blood to appear from the new gashes.

Lucy screamed out in pain before swinging the sword out in front of her and slightly cutting his arm.

She ran back as far as she could and he stopped, as if giving her a chance to attack.

Lucy whimpered in pain when she stepped on her injured leg.

Narrowing her eyes, she stared at him, both of them unmoving,

Sweat ran down her face and her breath came out in short, harsh pants.

This was her chance.

Raising her sword, she charged towards the beast, adrenaline pumping throughout her veins.

So many questions buzzed through her mind in those short ten seconds.

Why was he just standing there, watching her come at him?

Why did he attack her, even though his eyes had seemed so kind?

And, finally, why did they have to fight?

She made it to him, jumping high up, her sword pointed towards to sky.

Letting a war cry rage from her mouth, she was ready to swing down when she looked into his eyes.

His eyes seemed to tell of a painful past filled with bloodshed, but, they didn't have a hint of bad intentions in them.

Instead, they seemed to be glazed with sorrow.

Her grip on the handle loosened and she grit her teeth.

.

She couldn't do it.

.

Lucy collapsed on the ground, the sword lying limp in her hand.

Tears lay in the corner of her eyes as a bitter smile grazed her lips.

"Why do we have to fight…?" choked sobs came with the words.

The being stared down at her in shock.

"I can't kill you…! Not when your eyes look so sad…!" Tears ran down her cheeks.

This would be her end.

The creature before her would end it once and for all and she'd never make it to her mother.

Her head tilted down in defeat, the young Heartfilia tried to control her tears when she felt his hand come down onto her.

* * *

**DUNDUNDUN. CLIFFY. Hope you guys enjoyed that! Please review, follow, and fave! New chapters should be up every week or two. I may get a little random on the updates, though... If you want to pm me, pleaaase do go for it, I will be glad to chat with aybody be it ideas, questions, or just random shit in general. With that said... bye for now! ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

Why was it so bright?

Squinting her eyes, the blonde tried to block out the light.

She heard a chuckle in the background.

Her eyes scrunched up.

Was that…

"Luce!"

Natsu?

Lucy shot up off the bed with wide eyes, frantically scanning the perimeter for a certain pink haired fire mage.

Her head sunk down in defeat when she failed though, and she rubbed her forehead, sighing.

"What the hell is wrong with me…? Why would that baka be here…?"

She tried to act nonchalant, but her shoulders were slumped in disappointment.

"As if he'd try to find me…"

"Oi!"

Lucy's head snapped up almost immediately, and she was met with a pair of dazzling onyx eyes.

One smile and her breath seemed to be gone.

"N-Natsu…?"

She could barely believe it.

Would he really come looking for her…?

After two months of her nonexistence?

"I-Is that you…?"

Natsu's smile seemed to widen even more, and Lucy's heart fluttered wildly, a blush grazing her cheeks.

But, at the next words, her world seemed to shatter.

"Of course it's me, Lissanna! Are you alright?"

Lissanna?

Suddenly, she saw a blue eyed beauty with short white hair standing to the dragon slayer, giggling behind her hand.

Natsu grinned and chuckled at her, before asking to go on a mission.

The young Strauss nodded eagerly, and soon enough, they were walking away from her.

"N-Natsu…?"

Tears formed and Lucy's heart sped up.

"Natsu, it's me! Lucy! Natsu!"

Lucy stood up, the blanket that had been draped over her body now clinging to her shins.

"Natsu?! Natsu!"

She tripped and fell down, her slim form making hard contact with the solid floor.

"Natsu! Please! Please don't leave me again! Not when I lo… When I…"

Sobs overwhelmed her aching body, and the blonde curled up, shaken up from all the emotions bombarding her fragile heart.

"Natsu… I-I… To you…"

Her brown eyes scrunched up in pain and she clenched her teeth to keep from howling out.

After about half an hour, the blonde lay on the ground, exhausted, with her eyes swollen and her face pink.

Sniffling, she slowly pushed herself off the floor, her eyes flat and seemingly dead.

She held her hand to her head, blinking her eyes in an attempt to relieve them from their blurriness.

Lucy let out a deep breath, shoving her face into her palms.

Her head was thumping like crazy and the room she was in seemed to be a different world.

Getting up, she stretched out her sore body, wincing as she felt the gashes on her calves stretch.

.

Wait.

.

Lucy clutched her leg, surveying the bandages that were wrapped around her calf neatly.

Her eyes were practically coming out as she gripped he right leg, her heart accelerating.

Was this real?

She applied pressure to where the wound should've been and slightly winced as she felt the sharp bite of pain course through her leg.

Wasn't she supposed to be dead?!

Lucy quickly looked around her, finally noticing that she was in a cream colored room with wooden floors.

The bed was covered in white sheets and pillows, although it was a bit messy.

There was a mahogany desk pushed up against the wall opposite of the bed with a large bulletin board above it.

On the area a few feet away from the desk stood a dresser, which was also made of mahogany and was beautifully decorated with intricate swirls and designs on the sides and legs.

On the wall on the other side of the desk was a white door, which Lucy discovered on further evaluation, was a bathroom, which seemed to be white and light grey based, complete with marble counters and a silver sink.

On the back wall of the room were a window and a door a meter away, which was a closet, which was mysteriously filled with exercise clothes of Lucy's sizes.

The last wall had a plain white door, like the others, except on the sides were 4 paintings, each about 2-3 feet wide with about 4 feet of height.

Each painting was mysterious yet enchanting, showing the essence of each element in its swirls of acrylic color.

Lightning, Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Gravity, and Ice.

The blonde stared at the paint, entranced by its beauty, before she was snapped back to reality by a sharp rap on the door, signaling somebody was about to come in.

The situation she was in suddenly dawned on her, and she dived for her keys, which were on the mahogany nightstand next to the bed.

She whipped Leo's key at the door right as it opened, and the new person held her hands up in surrender, slowly.

She didn't need to, though, because after she saw her face, the celestial mage dropped her keys onto the mat under her feet.

Her eyes widened in complete and utter shock as she stared at the person, tears warming the corners of her eyes once again.

If this person was here, what could this possibly mean?

* * *

**Yay! Chapter 5 is officially up! Hope you guys didn't have to wait too long! I was kinda unsure how to write this chapter out, so I got kind of worried I wouldn't be able to update in time... But, I did, so that all that matters! Chapter 6 will be up and ready to read by next week, so please look forward to that! If you guys are wondering what will happen with my other story 'Catch Me', please do go to my profile and read the note I posted there. Besides that, I'll see you guys next week! (/^-^ )/**


	6. Chapter 6

**I honestly found it kinda funny how I stopped doing the disclaimer for a few chapters and then I randomly did it on... chapter 3, was it? Besides that, wow. I cannot believe I actually got 50 follows. I love you guys to death! . **

**Anyway, sorry for the late update! Hope you guys enjoy!**

**.**

**Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

The intruder smiled warmly, tears glistening in her sparkling blue eyes.

"Lucy-nee… It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Lucy sniffed, tears overflowing, and nodded.

Gasping out, she reached for the small child, her arms wrapping around her back.

She had known it was her from one glance, but… How was this possible?

And why did she look like a little girl the age of 5?

"M-Michelle…" Lucy managed to gasp out at last, smiling warmly.

Michelle looked up at her big sister, grinning.

"How is this possible? Why are you so tiny?"

Michelle's smile widened even more, and she stepped away from Lucy's grasp, fiddling with her ribbon.

Standing at about 4 feet, Michelle was an adorable little girl with long golden brown hair that ended at the bottom of her back, and sparkling blue eyes.

She was dressed in a deep blue dress that had a lighter blue layer under it and a short skirt that ended above her knees.

A white bow decorated her chest and waist area, where it held the white trim together.

On top of the first bow was a pretty pink rose.

Her legs were bare, but her tiny feet were adorned with blue ankle boots that matched the shade of her dress and had white trim on the top, and her wrists had a single pink lace bracelet on each hand.

Michelle gave her a grin.

"Layla-sama helped me!"

The stellar beauty's eyes widened immediately, and she gulped.

"My mother… is she alive?"

Giving her a sweet grin, the little girl nodded.

"Michelle… Tell me everything, please."

Taking a deep breath, Michelle got in to telling Lucy about what had happened.

"When I died, I didn't really die."

The mage looked at her in confusion, so the child started to explain.

"You see, I'm not exactly a doll, but then again, I'm not a human nor spirit either."

Lucy furrowed her brows in thought.

What the hell was going on?

"I am a creation of Layla-sama."

Lucy's eyes widened to their maximum and although all of these questions seemed to rush through her head, one stood out the most.

How?

"I am such a thing called celtic. A being created by a celestial master."

Celtic?

Wait. Celestial master?

That meant… she was right.

"The story…"

Michelle nodded.

"It's true. There are mages whose magic passes the very boundaries of mere humans. They harbor a universe of magic within themselves and are one with the sky and planets."

Lucy gasped in shock.

How could a mage that possible…?!

"Celestial masters are not from human brethren though."

The blonde immediately paid attention.

"They are in the bloodline of the very gods themselves, rulers of not only Earthland, but each planet and time itself."

"There are only two known celestial masters left in this world. One is your mother, Layla-sama, and the other…"

Lucy pursed her lips.

Her father? Some person she didn't know? Or maybe…

"Is you, onee-san!"

Everything around her seemed to blur except for Michelle and herself.

Her? Celestial master?

Breathing suddenly became a challenge.

"Me…? How…?"  
Michelle placed her tiny hand on top of the young Heartfilia's and gave her a kind smile.

Smiling back, Lucy gave the girl a soft pat on the head, urging her to continue her story.

"As I was saying, I never really died, since I'm not exactly human nor spirit. I was instead sent back to my creator, Layla-sama, where she gave me a body to match my soul, which was, a young girl."

"Michelle, I don't mean to offend you, but…-"

"Why would Layla-sama create me?"

Lucy nodded.

"Because, she knew that her time near your side was short, so she created me so that I could watch over you for her, and tell her how you were doing."

"My mother knew her time was short…? She couldn't have… the disease was so unexpected, and she's still alive, isn't she?"

Taking a deep breath, Michelle held Lucy's hands in her own.

"Onee-san… after your mother "passed" , did you or your father ever see her body?"

!

Lucy's eyes widened.

What was she trying to convey…?

Shaking her head slowly, Lucy responded.

"Now that I recall, no… The doctor never let us near… I only saw it at the funeral…"

Squeezing her hands, Michelle looked in her, telling her that there was no going back with her eyes.

Swallowing, the blonde stood up and firmly shook her head.

"Your mother never died of a strange illness. That was a magical illusion. Layla-sama… she isn't even fully human."

Ba-thump.

Her body seemed to grow numb.

"Layla-sama has the blood of majyx running through her- gods that hold the very beginning of magic."

"You know how a spirit's body cannot hold out very long in the human world?"

Lucy nodded, her mind flashing to Loke.

"It was almost like that. Because of her overwhelming magic, there were ripples in the atmosphere. She was forced to leave before everything went to ruins. So, she created this space between reality and magic to retreat to, and has been protecting ancient magical creatures and magjyx."

Ba-thump.

"If I'm one of these oh-so-powerful celestial masters, how come I'm so weak…?"

The words were strong at first, but faded out towards the end of the sentence.

Damn.

It hurt finally saying it out loud.

Michelle seemed to notice the way her jaw clenched and how her nails dug in to her palms, because, she gave her hands a reassuring squeeze.

"You know those things on your ears?"

Blank stare.

"Michelle-chan… they're called earrings…"

Michelle stared at her, smiling, before looking away.

?!

"So Layla-sama…"

'She's trying to act like nothing happened?!'

Lucy sweat-dropped, rubbing her temple, before motioning for her to continue.

"Those heart earrings that Layla-sama gave to you, they're restraints on your magic."

Nani?!

"If your magic wasn't held back until you knew how to harness it, you'd be ripped apart from its power."

A shiver found its way down Lucy's spine.

'If I had taken off the earrings for a while, I would've…'

Her thoughts were interrupted when Michelle pulled her hands away from Lucy's.

"Nee-chan… are you ready to see your mother?"

It was too sudden.

She couldn't possibly.

What would she say?

She wasn't sure whether she was angry or not, being tricked and fooled with like that.

But, she knew one thing.

No matter what, she couldn't possibly bring herself to hate her mother.

Her lips seemed to have a mind of their own as she spoke.

"Take me to her."

* * *

**Do you know how many pages this took in Microsoft Word? 4 and a half. Which isn't too bad, now that I think about it...**

**Besides that, hope you guys enjoyed! **

**I'm really grateful for all the follows and favorites, this being my first time posting on fanfiction. **

**Love you guys! :)**

* * *

**Michelle's Outfit -**

** . /tumblr_mc9upkd5kO1rzupdzo1_**

** /image/FAIRY%20TAIL/FAIRY%20TAIL%20-%20149%20-%20Large% **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the late update! I was gonna finish the chapter yesterday but then I ended up watching the new remake of Sailor Moon and yeah... Besides that, enjoy!**

* * *

Looking around, Lucy could only feel awe through her nervousness.

They stood in a large mansion that looked quite a bit too much like the Heartfilia residence to be a coincidence.

The only difference, was that a gigantic forest with huge trees lay beyond the grounds, and there was a vast lake and waterfall.

Lucy could see little human-like creatures fluttering through the air, and more beastly seeming beings roaming the trees and forest.

Sweat clung to her skin although the air was fresh and the heat was perfect- not too hot and not too cold.

Desperately trying to calm herself down, she wrung her hands and chewed her lip in anticipation.

'Oh Mavis!' she thought.

'What am I doing?! I'm reuniting with my mother, not meeting my boyfriend's parents for the first time!'

Pink hair flashed in her vision, and Lucy felt her face go warm.

'Natsu…'

"Lucy-nee, we're here."

Her thoughts were interrupted and the blonde let her breath catch in her throat.

With shaking legs, she stepped up.

After this, there was no turning back.

Her hands shook as she reached for the doorknob, finally managing to get a grip on it after several tries.

'I could walk away.'

Her hands wouldn't stop trembling for some reason.

'Pretend this never happened.'

Panting out, she tried to lick her lips, only to find she couldn't move her mouth.

'Go back.'

Why did her eyes feel wet?

'Back into the arms of my nakama.'

The thoughts were seducing her, cradling her and slowly pulling her arm away from the door.

"My…nakama…?"

Go back.

Back to isolation?

An unrequited love?

Being dead weight on missions?

Right as her hand pulled away, she regained her grip, her teeth grit and eyes downcast.

Why was she running away?!

Didn't she come just for this?!

What was she scared of?!

Letting out a frustrated shriek, Lucy took hard breaths.

Yes, she was scared.

Terrified, really.

She was never the strong one, never the one who found the way.

She was just Lucy.

No longer Lucky Lucy of the Heartfilia.

And no longer Lucy of Fairy Tail.

Just Lucy.

A strangled sound made its way to her throat.

She didn't want to be disappointed again.

Her heart wouldn't be able to take it.

But… what did she have to lose?

"Lucy-nee…-"

"I am a coward."

Sniffing, Lucy gave a sad grin.

"I'm not strong, I always hold people back, I can't protect myself, my friends, or my guild. There are people in this world that are so much more smarter than me."

Why was she even here?

Silence.

"But… I'm going to make myself something out of that."

Michelle's eyes widened.

"Do fairies have tails…?"

The little girl blinked.

"U-um… I don't know…"

Lucy chuckled.

"It's an everlasting adventure! And I'm on one myself."

Her hand had stopped shaking.

"I'm going to find who Lucy really is."

Her back was straight.

"I'm… going to find myself."

The door was opening.

Light flooded through the door, but the mage held her place, looking forward with determined eyes.

No going back.

"I know."

And she stepped forward, making her way into the light.

* * *

Layla heard the door creak open, slowly standing up.

Was it Amadeus?

No, she thought, starting to turn around.

Amadeus didn't have such soft feet.

Her breath caught and eyes widened.

Could it possibly be…?

Gold hair shone in the bright light of her study.

Brown eyes the same shade of her own glistened, and Layla found it hard to breathe.

Tears pricked at her eyes and she let out a sob.

A beautiful young lady stood before here, her eyes set in a determined stare.

Something wet slid down the woman's cheek.

In the same place the young lady stood, Layla could see the shadow of a little girl.

Crash.

The glass photo she had been holding fell downwards, making hard contact with the smooth wooden floor of the study.

Layla rushed to the beauty, cries making their way out of her mouth.

Slender hands clutched back at hers and she held the girl to her, her hand stroking the smoothness of her tresses.

"L-Lucy…"

Her heart was filled with so much warmth, she thought she'd be torn into two.

A damp feeling was felt on her shoulder, created from the other female.

Something clutched at her heart, and she let out a shivering breath.

She held her daughter's face in her hands, cherishing the warmth that confirmed she was real.

This much happiness… was she allowed to have it?

Feeling the smooth skin of her daughters cheeks, she gave a sigh.

It didn't matter.

This time, she wouldn't make the same mistake.

This time, she would protect this child, no matter what the consequences were.

* * *

**Alrighty! I'm sorry if that just wasn't good enough for you... the action or whatever officially starts in the next chapter, so be prepared for that! I'll try my best to get the update on time this week so wait for me! Please favorite, follow, and review! ;) Links are on my bio!**

**Bye for now then!**


	8. Chapter 8

**YES! Finally managed to finish writing chapter 8! **

**I am so sorry if its crappy, you guys, but, I tried my best, so hopefully it's okayish.**

**This chapter was a huge pain in the ass to write, but, at least it's finally done!**

**Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Clutching her bruised leg, the blonde struggled to stand once again.

Sweat matted her dirt covered hair to her face, her leggings and t-shirt were also covered in dirt, sweat, and a little blood, and her hands had gone white from her tight grip on the sword.

Gritting her teeth, she attempted to push herself up on her feet, her calloused hands shoving against the ground.

Exhaustion overwhelmed willpower, though, and she was left gasping for breath, kneeling on the floor.

A milky white hand appeared in her vision, and she grasped it, smiling at its owner in thanks.

"Meruna-chan, thanks."

Said beauty smiled at her, her honey colored eyes twinkling in mirth.

At the age of 19, Meruna Lancaster was a beautiful young woman set with ink black hair that sparkled, honey colored eyes, and a ferocious skill with a sword- or just about any weapon, for that matter.

Dressed in a white dress shirt and black rider pants, her black hair was tied in a low ponytail at the nape of her neck with a white silk ribbon and her feet were adorned with brown leather boots.

Her hands had black fingerless gloves, and a section was cut out on the top, so her golden magic circle mark could be seen.

Although the lass had seemed quite cold and cruel when Lucy's mother had first introduced the two, the lady had turned out to be a very gentle and caring person- albeit when she was angry.

Managing to stand back up with the help of Meruna, the two girls took their battle stances, swords in hand.

Metal met metal, and dust rose in clouds with the movements of their feet.

They stayed that while, swiping, dodging, parrying, and blocking.

Getting in the occasional kick or two, the blonde was beyond exhausted.

Unable to push herself any further, she let herself be pushed back on the ground from a rough jab of Meruna's sword handle.

"Alright, Lucy-chan, we're done for today!" Grinning, the girl passed her a cold bottle of water, which she gladly accepted, gulping the cold liquid greedily.

Kneeling to sit down beside her, Meruna gave her a light tap on the back and a smile.

"I'm honestly surprised, Lucy-chan, you've seriously improved in the past couple of months."

Flopping down unceremoniously, the mage managed to give her a weak smile.

It had already been 3 months.

The days had passed all too quickly with all the training she was having to do.

Almost every day had been the same routine.

Waking up at dawn every day, then going to the waterfall and sitting under its cold waters while focusing her magic.

After about 3 hours of that, it would be breakfast time, and then hand to hand combat with Amadeus for 2 hours.

Lunch would come after that, and then she'd be working on weapons with Meruna, learning to wield many different types.

After, she'd study magic with her mother for a couple hours.

Next would be dinner, and after that, would be a "light" jog, as Meruna would say, around and into the forest for 2 hours.

Finally would be more magic concentration for an hour or two, and then she'd study magic and origins in the castle library with her mother for another 2 hours.

Her free days were the weekend, when she'd explore the land and take a rest.

Each and every single second was filled with sweat, work, and exhaustion, but over the course of the past 3 months, Lucy had learnt to adjust to her daily schedule and the kind inhabitants of the castle.

Taking a deep breath, she listened to the soft rustling of the leaves.

"What slackers."

A tick mark popped up on Meruna's head and Lucy couldn't help but give a light giggle.

A boy with shining red hair appeared in the area of land around them, his eyes taunting.

Amadeus was definitely handsome, with his blood red hair and shining yellow eyes.

The lad stood at a bit above 6 feet tall, and was dressed in a white long-sleeved dress shirt, black pants, a brown unbuttoned leather vest, and dark brown boots.

His sleeves were rolled up so the swirling tattoos on his forearms could be seen, and he also had a dark green magical circle over his left bicep, which could just barely be seen under his not fully buttoned shirt.

Meruna scowled at him, irritated.

"We're just taking a little break before we head back to the castle."

Smoothly approaching them, he gave a small smirk.

"Is that so? You wouldn't mind if I joined you then, no?"

His voice was calm and smooth as always, and Lucy grinned when Meruna's face went red and her lips pouted.

"Oy, Merunyan, haven't your thighs gotten even tighter lately?"

He emphasized his point with a soft squeeze a bit too high up her leg.

Her face flushing red at the nickname and gesture, the black haired beauty karate chopped him on the head harshly.

"You perv! I told you to stop calling me that! And mind your hands, would you?!"

Amadeus merely gave a sly smile, loving how flustered she was, and tilted his head slightly, giving the impression of an adorable kitten.

"!" Meruna's face turned an even deeper shade, and the redheaded male gave a smooth chuckle.

Mentally squealing, the blonde snuck away, creeping through the bushes and finding her way out of the forest.

Sighing dreaming, she held her hands to her warm cheeks, giving a hearty laugh.

She thinks she understands Mira-chan now.

Ever since she'd seen the two together, she could barely resist the urge to give a girly shriek whenever Meruna blushed at Amadeus' s indecent actions.

Sighing, she walked into the castle, cherishing the feel of the cool air against her sweaty skin.

Making her way to the dining room, she saw her mother already sitting at the table, reading a book thicker than her very own waist.

"Ah, Lucy, you're back early. Where's Meruna?"

Giving a chuckle, Lucy flashed her mother a devilish grin.

"I left her in the forest with Amadeus."  
Upon hearing that, the two woman laughed together,.

They sat down and started their meal, waiting for the other two to join them.

A loud bang echoed across the house, and the two heartfilia women shared a smile.

Meruna came through the door, dragging Amadeus, who looked perfectly calm except for the red slap mark that marred his smooth honey skin.

Other than that though, he looked quite content.

Meruna, on the other hand, was completely flustered, her ears to arms ranging in different shades of red.

Lucy gave a snort as she smacked the redhead boy on the head for saying an unnecessary comment.

Kayla merely looked at the two, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Care to join us, you two?"

Meruna released Amadeus, sitting down and folding her napkin over her lap.

Amadeus followed suit, giving Meruna a sly look.

She merely ignored him, but her warming cheeks showed she knew he was staring.

Lucy gave a loud laugh, unable to hold it in any longer.

Meruna looked at her, suprised, before sighing and giving her a smile.

Amadeus smiled, too, and Layla giggled, telling everybody to eat up.

Warmth flooded the blonde's chest as she watched the other three.

Meruna and Amadeus bickered as usual, or rather, Amadeus taunting Meruna, causing her to get irritated, and Layla, smiling at the two and laughing.

'Family.' The celestial mage couldn't help but think, a smile warming her lips.

'I've finally found a place I can call home... and people I can truly call nakama. "

The thought sent a warm feeling in her heart, but it was interrupted when a piece of cold seemed to strike her.

Shivering, Lucy whipped around, her eyes narrowing, and a cold sweat breaking out over her skin.

'Nani...?'

She was about to leave her chair when her mother spoke.

"Lucy, what's wrong?"

The three stared at her, worried.

"Ah... It's nothing, just felt a little chilly for a few seconds."

Meruna gave a laugh.

"Want some tea to warm you up?"

Lucy nodded, and the two began to conversate.

Layla stared at where Lucy had almost walked to, though, and narrowed her eyes.

'His ascent has finally started.'

Looking at her daughter, she felt her heart squeeze.

'I will not allow this story to become a tragedy.'

* * *

**And it's done! **

**The chapter, I mean, not the story.**

**Please favorite, review, and follow! **

**I will try my best to get the next chapter to you guys in at least 2 weeks.**

**I know, the update time stretched out, I'm sorry.**

**I've just been really busy and I'm honestly going brain dead with ideas.**

**Thank you for even reading this story and I'll talk to you guys later!**

**Bye!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! I've finally finished ch. 9! I honestly couldn't believe it myself... **

**Anyway, WOW. I cannot believe I hit 100 follows.**

**That is crazy.**

**Totally amazeballs.**

**Thank you guys sooo much! I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Six months.

Lucy had been gone for six months.

Rubbing at the dark circles that had formed under her eyes, the scarlet-headed woman grabbed the handle of her wagon once again, the tower of suitcases trailing after her.

The streets were dark by now, and silently, she deposited her items back in her apartment at Fairy Hills, neatly sorting them back into their proper places.

Sighing, she grabbed a towel before summoning her armor away and stepping into her bathroom.

Giving a soft hiss as the cold tile made contact with the sore bottoms of her feet, she trotted towards the bathtub, ready to take a nice long bath after a month's long mission.

Warm water filled the bathtub, almost spilling over the edge, and she set her towel to the side, slowly setting herself into the tub.

Giving a nice long breath, she smoothed back her long hair, rubbing the heated liquid onto her arms.

After finding a particularly comfortable position, she settled down, her eyes and nose barely grazing the surface of the water.

Six months.

Pursing her lips, Erza could only think of her busty blonde headed team mate.

Bright and practically overflowing with a warmth that drew everybody to her, Lucy had been the ray of sunshine in Team Natsu.

Always positive, and willing to give up her life as a wealthy and highly respected Heartfilia, the celestial mage had been one-of-a-kind.

'We became conceited. We were spoiled by her kindness, and we took advantage of it.'

The water had gone from a soothing hot to barely warm now.

Shifting so the back of her head lay on the edge, she furrowed her eyebrows as she felt the same temperature that she'd felt a few minutes ago.

Her thoughts shifted to her younger guild mate once again, and she felt a hollow, cold feeling in her chest.

Ah... so that's what it was.

It was enough of this.

Standing up, the great titania washed her hair and scrubbed her body, the water from the bath draining away.

Turning off the water, she stepped out of the bathroom, her towel wrapped around her, another one being used to dry her hair.

Re-quipping into her pajamas, she sat down on her bed, covering her legs with the warm blanket.

She stretched out her arm to turn off the light on her nightstand, although the action was stopped halfway through.

A picture frame sat on the mini table, filled with a photo of five people and two cats.

A strange salmon haired lad with fire coming out of his mouth, a blue cat with wings on his head, a half naked man wearing a rosary on his chest, a little bluenette lass with a pure white cat in her arms, her own smiling self, and a girl with golden hair being pressed against her armored chest, laughing.

Turning the light off, she slipped under the covers, the photo held to her heart.

Six months.

A lone tear managed to make its way down her cheek as she dozed off.

* * *

Grimacing, Gray wiped the blood off the cut on his cheek, softly pressing a band-aid on top of the area.

Sighing, he stepped back, examining himself for any other injuries.

It'd been a little over six months now.

Zipping the first-aid kit closed, he gave a small scowl.

Now where was his shirt?

After attempting to find it for a couple minutes, he gave up, taking a seat on his couch.

He winced as he bumped his knee on the table corner, where a bruise had formed from his latest mission.

Taking care of injuries had always been Lucy's thing.

'She's not here anymore though, now is she?'

His gaze darkened at the thought, and he turned his head to the window, watching as leaves obscured his view of the sky.

It was Fall, and nowadays the weather matched his mood completely.

Dark, cold, and silent.

She had been the glue of the team, the person who'd brought them together.

And now they didn't even know where she resided.

Burying his face in his hands, the boy thought the same thing he did everyday.

'What if she never comes back? How did it come to this...? Why did this have to happen...?'

Gritting his teeth, he slammed a powerful fist onto the table, feeling frustration circulate through his body.

Warmth prickled at the back of his eyes, but he held it back.

Cold, like ice.

Although on the inside, he was hurt, longing for the girl he loved like a sister.

His fists shaking, Gray collapsed into the coach, sighing.

Six months.

* * *

Sitting on a bench in the park, Wendy stared at the sky.

A pout painted her face, and the bright brown of her eyes were now dull.

"Six months..."

No.

It'd been a little more than that.

217 days.

35 weeks.

Carla sat in her lap, frowning at the state the little girl was in.

"Carla..."

Her little furry head snapping to attention, said cat gave the bluenette her full and undivided attention.

"Yes, Wendy?"

Sighing, the girl began to softly stroke the exceed's head.

"Carla... will Lucy-nee ever come back? She must be so angry at us, though, having us treat her like that..."

Her head drooping, the female cat could only have the same thoughts.

"I...I don't know, Wendy..."

Looking at her, her lips began quivering, and soon enough, she was sobbing for seemed to be the billionth time since Lucy's absence.

Attempting to console the young girl, Carla rubbed her arms comfortingly.

"When is Lucy-nee coming back...?" Wendy sobbed out.

Carla didn't know how to reply.

* * *

Walking into the guild, Natsu couldn't feel the warm gush of air and sound of laughter as he used to.

Now it just seemed colder than it was beyond the guild doors.

Fairy Tail had simmered down- instead of the usual loudness, screaming, fights, and drinking, it was silent, except for the small talk and hollow laughter here and there.

Lucy's disappearance had affected them all.

Team Natsu was straining, each member becoming isolated, and taking on as many solo missions as they could manage.

Grabbing another mission from the board, he passed it to Mira, refusing to look her in the eyes.

Giving a sad smile, she softly took the crumpled paper and recorded it, passing it back to him.

Retrieving it, he once again refused to look her in the eyes.

If he did, would she be able to see how vulnerable he'd become?

How he'd practically broke when Lucy left?

How his insides had seemed to hollow out when he saw the blank canvas of her hand?

He refused to let her see how weak he'd become.

Walking out, he kept his head down, feeling the stares of his fellow guildmates.

Cana looked away, she could only imagine how alone Natsu was.

Passing through the doors, he blew out a sigh, watching how the smoke billowed from his mouth to the sky.

'Too much people.' he thought, and he turned into an alleyway, hoping for more space.

It'd already been more than six months.

Gritting his teeth, Natsu could feel tears appearing at the thought.

Lucy... she'd been his best friend, his partner, his other half...

"Loved her..." he whispered out.

"I loved her..."

Nobody answered, only the clouds could hear his words.

Suddenly, a chill passed over his chest.

Dodging away, and pressing against the wall, Natsu panted as he stared incredulously at the giant black blade glistened in the spot he just stood in.

On it was a bright blue ribbon, tattered and torn, although mostly intact.

Approaching it, Natsu could barely notice the quivering of his hands and legs.

Slowly, he reached out, and snatched the piece of cloth from where it was stuck between the floor and metal.

Giving it a sniff, terror seemed to paralyze him.

It was Lucy's ribbon.

For the first time in his life, the fire mage felt cold.

* * *

**I hope that this chapter was good enough for you all, if it wasn't to your liking, please tell me your feedback in the review section so I can read it and improve on my mistakes.**

**I honestly can't predict when the next chapter is coming out, due to not much space in my schedule nowadays and a lot of problems in my life currently.**

**I just kind of want to get my life back on track and battle off the depression that just really seems to get the best of me these days.**

**But... let's hope I can get 150 follows next. **

**See you guys later! **


	10. Chapter 10

A door was slammed open and the blonde groaned at the ruckus, attempting to muffle out the sound with one of her pillows.

Flipping over, she tried to go back to the sweet land of sleep, and was so close to being able to, when a sharp dose of cold overran her body as her blankets were roughly yanked off of her.

Shrieking, she shot up faster than a bullet, resulting with her tumbling off the bed, face first.

Rubbing her sore everything, Lucy reluctantly sat up.

"Mama...?" grabbing at the clock that lay on her nightstand, she squinted at the numbers that read 3:00.

Slapping a hand across her face, she gripped the corner of the bed, lazily hauling herself back onto it.

"What's going on...? You're 2 hours and a 1/2 hours too early. You do realize this, ne?"

Yawning, she cuddled back into her warm sheets, waiting for the elder woman to leave.

5 minutes passed.

1o minutes.

15.

"Lucy."

Looking at her mother, Lucy could see the serious edge they held, now that her blurry eyes had adjusted.

"Mama...?"

Slowly pulling the sheets off her daughter, Layla stood authoritative.

"Get dressed and then meet me at the castle entrance."

Blinking, the blonde stumbled out of bed and unconsciously pulled on a pair of black exercise leggings, a white fitness tee, and a light blue jersey jacket.

Hurriedly tying the shoelaces of her blue and white running shoes, she ran after her mother and into the courtyard.

After seeing her arrive, Layla hurried forward, Lucy practically running to meet her pace.

It seemed as if hours had passed before the older Heartfilia finally stopped.

'Thank Mavis for exercise.'

Lucy hadn't even broken a sweat after chasing her mother for god knows how long.

'4 months of non-stop training does that to a girl,no?'

Turning her attention to her mother, Lucy opened her mouth to ask the question of what exactly was happening.

Her question was answered soon enough though.

"Lucy."

A thick and ancient looking book lay in Layla's hands.

It was a shimmering dark blue that had all the constellations in a bright silver and golden edges and lock.

"Today, we start your real training."

Real training?

"Lucy... in you, is an entire different world power, magic that may destroy this world, or save it."

Drawing a glistening golden key from the folds of her skirt, Layla placed it into the lock.

"You must learn to master the elements- fire, water,ice, air, earth, lightning, and gravity. Harmonize them and wield them to the greatest extent and you will unlock the most ancient magic that has ever existed- Golden Infinity."

'Golden Infinity...'

"Do you accept this fate""

It was a simple question, yet at the same time, it was so complex Lucy could barely get it through her head.

Her mother's eyes were so solid it was overwhelming, but she refused to back down.

"I accept."

Smiling bitterly, Layla gave a solemn nod.

"Let us initiate your training then."

* * *

The area they had stopped in was a large area with a majestic feel to it.

Decorated with bright red roses and glowing orange poppies around the large and undisturbed circle, it was beautiful.

Sitting in the center of that circle cross legged and with a hand on each knee, Lucy took a breath.

"Standing about 10 meters from her was her mother, holding the large book open on a page decorated in gold writing and red flowers.

She was ready.

.

_Which length the sky may fall_

_Open the realm beneath_

_and let the heat of Hell roar forward_

_Spread thy ashes onto my bones _

_And grant the fist of flame_

_O' thee Ignatia_

_Scorch my skin with your blessing _

_Release the blood that is bound_

_And tint the sky red with your honor_

_._

As Layla's voice rang out clear and powerful through the area, Lucy grit her teeth, slamming her eyes shut in concentration.

A giant red magical circle spread out beneath her, stopping only a few inches from Layla's toes.

Heat.

Breathing deeply through her nose and mouth, Lucy pictured a raging fire.

Untouchable. Unstoppable. Overwhelming.

Feeling a hot sensation building up in the pit of her stomach, she placed her hands together, connecting her thumbs on the top and other fingers on the bottom, creating a diamond-like shape.

The fiery sensation was trying to overtake her, but she desperately held on, forcing herself to try harder.

Grinding her teeth together, she focused even more, sweat dripping down her face.

She could not fail this time.

She refused to.

She was no longer who she used to be.

She was different. Changed.

Stronger. Smarter. Tougher.

Grinning, she opened her eyes, red patterns dancing across her now bright orange eyes.

A scream tore from her mouth, and instead of a scream, it gave the sound of a bird, but not just any bird- a phoenix.

Flames engulfed her and the circle, but she didn't relent, instead, she pushed on.

Every fiber of her being screamed out as the burning sensation engulfed her, combining with the magic held within her.

Her entire body shook and quivered as she stood, but she opened her eyes and made a series of hand signs, before ending it with her right hand straight out with a straight palm facing upwards, and her other hand straight, her thumb and ring finger connected.

Inhaling a shaky breath, she opened her mouth, slamming her left hand onto the right, and booming, "FIRE!"

After a few seconds the flames subsided, and all that was left was Lucy and Layla.

Her hands were practically vibrating and she slumped down to the ground, completely drained.

The sun was already up and Lucy stared at it, wondering just how long she'd been in the flames.

Black dots clouded her vision though, and soon enough, she was fading away, only to hear her mother say, "You did it, Lucy." and to feel the soft texture of her mother's lips upon her sweat soaked forehead.

This time, she was engulfed by darkness, not light.

* * *

**Hey-yo! Thanks for reading! Please follow, favorite and review! Feedback would be just perfect, so if you have anything to say, whether good or bad, please do share! Thank you guys so much for pointing out my mistake of posting ch. 9 again for ch. 10! If i hadn't seen that, I probably would've just left it there until the next update... That's all for now though! Until the next chapter!**

**- Otakerage13**


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